Korea

The Koreans adopted Confucianism from Chinese writing, political institutions, and agricultural methods.Chinese missionaries introduced Buddhism to Korea as well. The Silla Kingdom eventually weakened, and around 935, rebels defeated it and founded the Koryo dynasty. This dynasty, whose name is the basis of the word Korea, lasted until 1392.

Koryo had many Rulers. Koryo’s rulers continued to adopt Chinese ideas but worked to maintain distinct Korean features. The Koryo adopted a civil service examination system similar to China’s. Only nobles could take the test, and government positions were inherited in Korea. Korean society was divided between a powerful nobility and the rest of the people. Korean artisans created pottery covered with a blue-green glaze called celadon. This celadon pottery rivaled Song porcelain in beauty and was highly prized. The Koreans used Chinese methods of printing and carved some 80,000 wooden blocks to print Buddhist texts. The Koreans later improved the process by creating metal movable type. Pyongyang was Krorea's Capital.